Born: Vienna, Austria, 1889
Died: New York, New York, USA, 1956
The first American designer to make the psychological leap between design and lifestyle, Hattie Carnegie was a retail phenomena who imported Paris couture into America – sometimes diluting the styles under the Hattie Carnegie Originals label. The Carnegie headquarters on East 49th Street stocked jewellery, cosmetics, sportswear – even antiques and Carnegie chocolates.
Carnegie’s forceful and opinionated nature was legendary. She was an astute businesswoman with a sharp commercial brain, who began her career as a trainee milliner and runner at Macy’s. In 1909 she opened a hat and dress shop on East 10th Street. Carnegie specialized in the complete look – advising and providing everything from gloves to cosmetics. After her death in 1956, the company carried on, but when fashion swung in favour of the adolescent, the Carnegie business – inextricably linked with its creator – went to the wall.
